Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the candidate of "France Insubordinate" for the presidential elections in France in 2027, directed the responsibility for the riots on October 17 to the power of President Emmanuel Macron and the way in which the police controlled the protests.
The mass mobilization against the high cost of living and problems in education escalated into clashes, vandalism and looting in Paris and other French cities. According to the French government, about 550,000 people took part in the protests, while organizers put the number at nearly 800,000. At least 1,800 people had been arrested by October 18.
Melenchon criticizes police actions
Melenchon, who took part in the demonstration in Paris, accused the authorities of contributing to the escalation. In a post on the social network X, he wrote that "the prefect organized chaos" by blocking access to the Place de la République and using tear gas.
In another assessment, the leader of "France Insubordinate" said that "confrontation seems to be the goal of this strategy to maintain public order". Thus, he placed the emphasis on the actions of the police and the government, and not on the participants who committed the destruction and looting.
Prime Minister Lecornu: This is Mélenchon's political responsibility
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu rejected Mélenchon's thesis. “To shift responsibility for the violence onto the heads of the police is a dangerous and cynical distortion of the facts“, he said.
Lecornu called on the leader of “France Insubordinate“ to clearly identify those responsible for the looting and destruction. According to him, one cannot simultaneously call for an end to the violence and give justifications to the perpetrators. The government accuses Mélenchon's party of contributing to the escalation of tensions since the protests began in mid-September.
President Emmanuel Macron said before the protests that the right to demonstrate must be combined with respect for people and property. After the violence broke out, he said that "there is no place for violence in our Republic" and that the perpetrators of looting and destruction must be held accountable.
Parliament to discuss police actions
National Assembly Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet announced that she would propose the creation of a parliamentary inquiry committee on Tuesday. It must clarify the causes of the riots, the actions of violent groups and possible weaknesses in the strategy for maintaining public order.
The clash between Mélenchon and the government is developing six months before the presidential election in 2027. The left-wing leader is trying to link the protests to social discontent, while the executive branch and the right insist that the political messages of “Unruly France“ are encouraging the unrest.
Sources: apnews.com, lemonde.fr, information.tv5monde.com